Heroes
by xxhaloxxhortorixx
Summary: ever since he was a boy he wanted to be a hero, but on the eve of his 6th birthday something happens to make him change his path, it's all great until he meets a beautiful girl who is trapped in a loveless marriage. getting to know her he realizes that ...
1. A boyhood dream

A/N: alright people this isn't my first story, but I normally write them on paper and destroy them later. Don't kill me because of the pairing, I like it! I do love the whole Zhou yu x Xiao Qiao pairing, huge fan, but these two are like paper and glue, by the way to anyone who writes Xiao Qiao stories your grate and so are the stories, I love her she's a babe! Read and enjoy!

P.S.: I have avoided some characters. Because 1 they suck and 2 there boring oh and some characters are mine.

Heroes. What are heroes' made of? Good looks, Expectable swordsmanship, Bravery so fierce that it would strike fear into the hearts of lions, The ability to charm any woman just by simply smiling or is it simply doing something great that in the end has no true rewards but the feeling of accomplishment and knowing that you have done the right thing.

"Heroes are made of stern stuff, not soft and cushy things mom!?" a high pitch whine followed form the small room.

"heroes, my little one are made of pride, gluttony and rage, each hero has a reason to fight, no matter what the reason is, good or bad, they start out fighting for themselves and threw a chain of events end up doing a great, that is all nothing more" the old lady explained, lolling her head back. A peaceful look on her face.

" uh uh, Grammy, heroes fight with swords and fight for justice and win the princess and be heroes, not what you said at all" the boy replied shaking his head so his spiked red hair moved with it.

" alright my boy, bed time, you need rest, tomorrow is your 6th birthday and you know what that means" the boy's father said from the wooden chair in the corner.

"oh dad can't I stay up a little longer? I'm 5 and I'm a big boy, big boys don't go to bed while the sun is still up, right Grammy?" the boy said practically begging his grandmother to overturn her sons rule, in the hopes that he may be able to stay up a little longer.

" no darling, you are a big strong growing boy and need all the rest you can get or you'll start to look like your baby brother all little forever, then you will never be a hero" is mother added pointing her finger to the next room.

"oh alright but, tomorrow i want to stay up just a little longer okay?" he said yawning and walking into the next room.

He tucked himself into his small bundle of sheets, lay his little head onto his home made pillow. He looked onto the window and closed his eyes in visioning himself as a tall muscular man with long blonde hair a sword in his hand and a beautiful red headed princess in the other. The thought sailed to sleep.

Clip of the next chapter: the crew of the devil and the will of a broken angel:

Ning's eyes slowly opened. He rubbed his face trying to let them adjust to the light that was streaming in threw the small cubby hole in the cabin. He groaned and sat up trying not to smack his head on the buck on top of his own.


	2. The devils and the broken angel

----------------------------------------------------- **The crew of the devil**-------------------------------------------------

Hortori-girlxx

Ning's eyes slowly opened. He rubbed his face trying to let them adjust to the light that was streaming in threw the small cubby hole in the cabin. He groaned and sat up trying not to smack his head on the buck on top of his own. He scratched his cheek and let out a long and loud yawn.

Today was Saturday and they had docked the night before, most of the crew were off with some choice company. While Ning had stayed on the ship as he didn't like the looks of half the woman in the town.

He stammered up, although he had stayed away from the woman, he didn't however stay away form the booze. He was after all a eighteen year old pirate with no rules, other than the one's he made up, or family to tell him what to do. He let out another loud groan, rubbing his hands in his spiky hair. His head felt as though it was going to either split in half or explode either one would have been as painful and slow as the other.

"Dammit! Going too drink myself into oblivion one of these days, or a least get so drunk, I'll fall of the ship and drown" he mumbled to himself as he slid his boots on. He only managed to pull the left one up before another drunken mess fell through the door of their cabin.

Ning restrained a loud laugh as the pain in his head probably would have not been worth it. So he bit down on his lip and looked away. He got a glance of himself in the dirty mop bucket water, which had been stinking up the cabin for a week, he looked rough. He was a handsome boy with spiked red hair. His face was masculine and defined in the right places, including his nose and his strong jaw bone. He was in good physical shape and highly tattooed, he was aware of his good looks and physical shape so he could be rather cocky. But with the rest of the crew he had reason to be. He easily stuck out from the rest of the pirates, in all the looks, weapon skills and character departments.

"You still not up?" the face down man slurred, ning could barely make out a word as his face was buried deep into the hardwood floor.

"Just got up, my heads on fire," ning replied still holding back a laugh still.

"Cause you're a light weight" the man slurred again.

Ning just looked at the man and within minutes the man was fast asleep. Ning let out his laugh and pulled up the other boot. He stood up losing his balance for a second and then standing up straight. He stretched and walked to the man in a clump on the floor. He kneeled next to him.

"Yeah, okay Obidier, I'm the light weight" he laughed leaning over and taking the man's money pouch. He snickered to himself. "Remember rule number one Obidier, never leave your money on full display for a pirate or a whore to take" he finished looking at the pouch.

He scanned the room and smiled mischievously when he noticed the stinking mop bucket in the corner of the bunker. He stood up and edged towards it, a look of sheer delight in his eyes.

-------------------------------------------------**The broken will of an angel**--------------------------------------------

Xiao aimlessly brushed her hair in the mirror, letting out small breathes every once in a while, a look of complete sadness on her beautiful face. She tried so hard to impress her husband but nothing ever seemed to work. He was always wrapped up in war or work, he was one of the best strategist's the land had to offer, but what did he offer her?

When they had first married nearly a year ago he had promised her the world and for a short time she was getting it, but not time with him and for that period she was living with it. But now the luxuries of jewellery and expensive clothes had worn off and she longed for his touch again. She wanted to feel like she was the most important person too him and not his lord sun ce.

As she looked at herself in the mirror she felt an over whelming sense to cry, but what use would that do really, she could cry until her eyes fell out but he wouldn't come back to her and he wouldn't hold her. Had he grown tired or bored with her already? A tear escaped her emerald eye. She whipped it away fast, she didn't want to be sad, she had avoided being sad her whole life and up till now it had worked. Another escaped her tightly clenched eye, then another and another until eventually she stopped fighting and just let them fall. She placed her head on her vanity and wrapped her arms around it. She sat quietly crying to herself so that she wouldn't disturb her husband in the next room.

----------------------------------------------------**The crew of the devil**--------------------------------------------------

"Ning you lazy bastard!" a high pitch woman's voice pierced his ears.

Ning rolled his eyes he didn't know what he'd done this time but if cessica was on his case it probably wasn't that important anyway. He decided she would come to him and he could just laze about on the top deck and wait for her to come and scream at him. He let out a yawn and looked onto the sea.

Cessica stormed up the stairs to were he was laying and stomped her feet in front of his ears making sure to only miss his head by point of a millimetre. She huffed.

"What? Can't you see I'm loafing about" he said paying minimal attention to the fact he nearly had her boot mark in his face.

"Yeah that's all you do is loaf! You promised to take me into town today!" she moaned stomping her feet once again.

This time he rolled away so that she wouldn't have that chance. Cessica was an average looking girl, with short black hair and a pointy nose. Ning didn't mind her, he was kind of impartial to her, she had a short fuse and a hot flame for him, she was the captains favourite, so she got her own room, of which ning was barely out of. According to ning she had a smoking hot body but she didn't ware many clothes anyway so there wasn't much of her hidden. She was an okay fighter with a little bit of a sense of humour, not really his type but good for one thing he thought.

"Alright fine I'll take you, just don't put your boot through my face!" he said flipping up. Cessica's eyes were glued to him as normal, but this time he had his top of so she was biting her lip, ning looked at her he knew what that meant, he smiled at her, he knew what king of dirty little thoughts were in her head right now.

------------------------------------------------**The broken will of an angel**---------------------------------------------

Xiao shuffled about the town trying to keep up with her husband, but with all the girls crowding him it was hard for her. She looked in front of her she was burning with rage. He hadn't even noticed she had fallen behind him. She felt like pulling the sword out from his belt and slashing it widely until the girls had dispersed and maybe if she was lucky catch him with it as well.

"Come on Xiao, we have places to be" she heard him call to her. She looked up at him noticing he hadn't even stopped or turned around.

She felt like his slave constantly walking after him, carrying his shopping bags and then at the end of the day he would take again her to his room and make love to her, dismissing her and then starting again the next day.

"Yes, my lord" she replied bluntly walking as close to his side as she could get wedging herself between him and the girls. She gave him a slight smile noticing that he had finally looked at her.

She linked his arm with hers and held on tightly enough for the girls about to see that he was hers and she would fight for them for him, so they better back away, but not tight enough for him to notice. It worked for most girls, who slowly backed away. Xiao give them a nod.

"My lord Zhou yu, are we going exactly?" She asked realising she didn't actually know but that she was kind off just following him aimlessly.

"There are pirates off shore, they are known as the crew of the devil" he explained in a calm voice.

"You're not going to sell me to pirates are you!?" she asked shocked.

"Xiao be serious, of course I'm not going to sell you to pirates, what good would you be to me their hmm?" he said with an arched eyebrow.

Xiao blushed with slight embarrassment at the stupidity of her own question. Of course he wasn't going to sell her to pirates, but a lot of the time she would just open her mouth and let the words spill out without thinking.

"Alright then why are we going to see the devils shrew?" she asked still holding onto his arm.

"The crew of the devil, and because they are our allies, and Ce is already down there so hurry up" he said speeding up a little bit.

"Well okay, but this is war stuff why am I going?" she asked speeding up with him, she was trying not to fall but still keep up the pace, it was hard for her to move in a long dress especially since she wasn't used to wearing them.

"Because, I like your company" he replied simply and carried on walking.

Xiao smiled too herself, she liked it when he said nice things like that she also liked it when he would spend a little time with her, even if it wasn't huge amounts. After all she was nothing like her mother who could go months without even caring were her father was or if he would spend any time with her, why would she had her lovers and her male servants to keep her company when he was away. Thinking about it Xiao would have hated that life, she was very innocent in that way. She had been to bed with her husband a few times but not a ton and she was married when she first lay with a man even though it wasn't a tradition and her husband appreciated that.

* * *

Here's a small clip of the next chapter: ** The meeting**

Ning sat next to the captain; his second in command was probably laying in some ditch somewhere with an empty bottle in one hand and a whore's garter in the other. His eyes were fixated on the girl sitting ahead of him.


	3. The meeting

----------------------------------------------------------**The meeting**---------------------------------------------------------

Ning sat next to the captain; his second in command was probably laying in some ditch somewhere with an empty bottle in one hand and a whore's garter in the other. His eyes were fixated on the girl sitting ahead of him. She was far prettier than Cessica, he would have even gone as far to say she was beautiful a word he has never used before, well when talking about a woman. She looked nervous and on edge, ning found that amusing, as if he would hurt her or let anyone hurt her, what a waste that would be. She was chewing on her thumb nail and was sitting really close to the man who had introduced himself as "general lord strategist of wu, Zhou yu".

She kept her eyes to the floor, he would catch her looking at him from time to time, but if she saw that he'd seen her she'd turn her head automatically to the floor and blush. He found it cute.

"What do you think Ning, sound good?" the captain said turning his attention too ning, who had been leaning on the back of his chair, ning jumped when he heard his name his. Ning looked at him blankly "well don't just stare at me boy, answer me" he said in a sort of condescending tone.

"How the hell should I know? I wasn't listening to anything you just said" he replied with a shrug. The captain arched his eyebrow and looked at him as if he was a naughty child.

"Why do I keep you round?" the captain sighed shaking his head.

"Cause I have a cute ass and I'm the best fighter your rag tag crew has to offer" ning replied rather confidentially with a cocky smile, he was practically telling the captain to tell him he wasn't so he could prove his skills in front of the girl. He could see the girl smiling out the corner of his eye she was looking right at him; he could see her trying not to laugh.

He didn't take Ning bait "Alright basically you fight people and leave the tough talk to the grownups" he finished with a slight sideways smile.

"Hey sounds good to me, give me a sword show me and the bad guys" he replied. He would make the captain pay for that comment later, just like the way he made Obidier pay for calling him a lightweight drinker.

"So it is settled then?" Ce said scratching his head, his huge arms folded in front of his large chest.

"yes, I'd like to show you around the ship" the captain said standing up, and walking to the door.

Both ce and yu stood up, Zhou yu turned to Xiao and smiled. Xiao looked up at him she returned the smile.

"you can wait here if you want or you can come" he said sweetly. Xiao thought about it, she didn't really want to look at a ship or be paraded in front of pirates, she bit her lip she would much rather sit in here alone and wait patiently for them to return.

"I'll wait" she replied simply with a sweet smile, Ning smiled to himself, he'll wait here and get some alone time with her, without her big tall man guards.

"Ning you can wait with her, don't let any men in," the captain ordered, while they left the room. Xiao watched them leave. Zhou yu didn't look at her again as he left the room.

It made her angry that he would just leave her on her own with a pirate while he went to look at the ship, she had said she didn't want to but, he should have persuaded her because he loves her and wanted to protect he from anything and that included purvey pirates.

She looked at the pirate sitting in his captain's chair he had his feet on the desk and was leaning back with his hands behind his head, he looked cool. Xiao let out a slight laugh.

"So what's your name a sweetheart?" he asked very cool and calm like, normally she wouldn't have answered or give him a fake name. But for some weird reason she felt kind of comfortable around him and didn't mind speaking to him.

"I'm Xiao Qiao, you?" she asked politely. She bit her thumb nail, being alone with him made her realise how attractive he truly was, he also had an air of confident coolness about him that Xiao found attractive in a man.

"The names, Ning, Gan Ning if you want to get all formal, but I don't, so just Ning" he said sitting up more and leaning on the desk. He smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you then Ning" Xiao replied.

"I know, you should count yourself lucky, I normally don't give out my real name to girls" he said with an arched eyebrow, Xiao let out a laugh one of half disbelief and half general laughing.

"I don't normally give out my real name either, normally i would have told you my name is May Li Mee" she said with a smile.

"Really...? I would have come up with a name on the spot or just ignored you, but you seem nice so" he said with a yawn. He was trying to act cool but he was really all butterflies about talking to her. Xiao was the same, she found herself blushing and giggling a lot like a love sick teenager.

She was amazed with herself she didn't even act like this around her own husband, not that she had the chance he never really spent time with her or ask her how she was or anything that a husband should ask. After only spending ten minutes with Ning she felt completely comfortable around him and forgot all about the fact he was a pirate or even the fact she was married.


	4. side chapter stolen

A/N: It's my first songfic so criticism is way welcome, remember were all trying to get better, it's too one of my favourite songs"stolen" by "dashboard confessional", it's Gan Ning's thoughts about Xiao Qiao. It's a beautiful love song and if you can listen to it when you've read this you'll be able to see were I'm coming from. I do this because I want to work in the films and I have this random talent for picking the perfect songs to go with the perfect moment in films, anyway on with the story... Xx

Disclaimer: I take no credit for the song or characters that appear in the story below, I do however take credit for the story and song selection. All characters belong to Chinese history and the song belongs to dashboard confessional.

Enjoy...

_**We watch the season pull up its own stakes  
And catch the last weekend of the last week  
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced,  
Another sun soaked season fades away**_

Night loomed over the sky, the day had been eventful Wu had finally decide to visit and finish the discussion about the war they had proposed. The ship had docked almost a week ago and they had been waiting since then for the discussion to take place. Most of the other men were out celebrating the news of war, Gan Ning smirked at the thought, nearly everyman on the ship was a poser. Not one of them had been to war or even seen a dead man. They would carry their swords like big men, but mostly to intimidate other men and to make women notice them. The truth of it was if it came down to a real scrap they would all hide like scared puppies and expect Gan Ning to deal with the big bad men for them.

_**You have stolen my heart**_

Gan Ning laughed out loud when the men had cheered over the prospect of war, He too was glad about the news but his thoughts weren't on war. He lay in his bunk, one muscular arm behind his head and the other resting on his stomach, he tilted his head so he could see the night sky clearly through the little window next to his bed, or what the captain tried to pass off as a window, really it was a canon hole that the ship had acquired in their last meeting with Cao Cao. His thoughts drifted to the Beautiful girl with the emerald eyes he had met that day.

"Xiao Qiao" he said to himself, in a quiet voice, he found her name Beautiful to speak and friendly to his lips.

_**Invitation only, grand farewells  
Crash the best one, of the best ones  
Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight**_

He had only spoken to her for a short while; he didn't want to see her go. When she had left he couldn't stand to see her walk away, not with that man she had came with. He had Introduced Himself as Zhou Yu, that not he needed to he was infamous across the land for his good looks, wit and his intelligence that was said to only be rivalled by the sleeping dragon Zhuge Liang. Gan Ning didn't really speak to Zhou yu or Lord Sun ce standing with him, His eyes were fixated on the uncomfortable angel who sat with her head face down.

_**You have stolen my heart**_

When she looked up at him, he had felt a odd and yet appealing unfamiliar feeling, their eyes had met only for a split second, but as soon as they did he couldn't shake her from his mind. Then they were left alone. His mind drew a blank as hard as he had tried he couldn't find a cocky or arrogant answer. Then without thinking he had spoken. She had jumped a little but he had just thought that was cute. Maybe it was her looks but he couldn't take his eyes off her. She had spoken back, he thought of her voice as a rare gem.

_**And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration  
One good stretch before our hibernation  
Our dreams assured and we all, will sleep well**_

Ning rolled over so that he was facing the wall in his dark bunker that he shared with 18 other men. He didn't know what was wrong with him, he wasn't thinking about her naked or under him, he was thinking of her as she was a human and not a object used to pleasure him. He was frustrated and happy at the same time, he felt awful but yet amazing and he couldn't think of anything but her. The smell of her long brown hair still lingered with him, everything reminded him of her. The moon was her porcelain skin that he would have given anything to touch, The Green sea was her eyes that he wished were stirring into his and the colour of the ship was her ruby lips that he longed to have on his own. He felt like just one kiss of her would be enough to get him threw the hard days on the water.

_**You have stolen  
You have stolen my heart**_

Not only the way he was feeling was different but the way he was acting to, Cessica had offered for him to sleep in her room tonight and too both their surprises he had turned it down, he hated Xiao for the way he was feeling, but at the same time he wanted to hold her and make all the pain from behind her eyes go away.

"ARRR...WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME! WHY WON'T SHE LEAVE MY MIND?" he shouted

Sitting up he found he was frustrated, he let his head full into his hands, running his fingers threw his blond spiky hair. He looked at the wall in front of him.

_**I watch you spin around in your highest heels  
You are the best one, of the best ones  
We all look like we feel**_

"There's no way" he said to himself his mouth in his hands.

Then it hit him like a brick to the back of his head, the thought made him feel angry and sick, but for some reason he also felt happy and alive. The feeling that he was feeling, the unfamiliar thoughts, the anger when she left, the longing to hold her, turning down Cessica and not thinking about war when it was soon. They were all signs of the only thing that Ning, and probably anyone who had ever known him, thought would never happen to him; even death by spoon was more probable. Gan Ning was in love.

_**You have stolen my  
you have stolen my heart**_

"I've got to see her again"

...

Well what did you think, leave a comment if you read this please, oh and Cessica is a pirate girl I made up, I do own her, if you want to use her ask xxxx


	5. A sleepless night

A/N: I know that i skipped a lot of time like the build up to the fight and Xiao's and Ning's relationship but there is a ton more of my story to go, and let's face it, if I had then there goes like 4-5 chapters of me telling you how they were feeling and I am a hopeless romantic but I am also a bit of a tomboy and like fighting and gore so... oh it can be a little confusing on peoples ages so.

Xiao- 16, Ning-19 Zhou yu-23, Sun ce- 24 any other characters introduced in this chapter, there ages will be shown on the bottom, above the clip of the next chapter. Read, review and enjoy...!

(Any criticism welcome after all I am trying to improve my skills, as both a writer and a visionary...x)

- **A sleepless night**-

Xiao tossed and turned, she couldn't seem to find her rest. Tomorrow was the battle that Zhou yu had been constantly preparing for, for months on end. Since she had first met Gan Ning he was all she could think about, he would fill her dreams weather they were about the battle, sexual or just talking to him again. Since they had first spoken they had met a few times and held conversations and just enjoyed each other's company. She looked at her wrist, she had turned 16 a week ago and Ning had gotten her a bracelet. He also spent the day with her which was far more important to her than the expensive necklace Zhou yu had delivered, to her from him.

He was on her mind all the time now, she knew it was wrong to be thinking and dreaming that way about him but with the lack of love and attention Zhou yu had been giving her, who could blame her, Ning was funny, bold, acted rash, he could be vulgar, he could be mean, he was so brave, talented with a sword and was so confident in himself that she was drawn to him. If she wasn't married she would have been with Ning.

She looked at the empty space were Zhou yu should be, or at least in her tent giving her words of encouragement and telling her he wouldn't let anything happen to her while he was there, but he wasn't he was In a tent of his own a ways away from her. She sighed.

She could hear rustling from outside her tent, she knew it wouldn't be an enemy, but she hovered her hand over her weapon anyway just in case she had to fight off a drunken officer who wanted to take a crack at her cause he may die tomorrow. She lay still so that whoever it was would think she was asleep, it would be easier to fight them off if they thought she was asleep that way when you sprung up they would be shocked and she could take the first swing. She heard the tent open and close. She was ready to fight anyone no matter the size.

"Xiao, you awake?" she heard a familiar voice say. She smiled instantly and sat up. She was delighted to see Ning standing there; he was topless probably because he just came from his bed. That made her smile more; he had gotten up when he could be resting, just to see her, she also felt sad as well, where was Zhou yu?

"Hey" he wisped walking over to her bed; he sat on the end of it, but close enough to her so that if he wisped she could hear it clearly. She bit her lip and sat herself a bit closer to him. "Just thought I'd come and see how you are" he said.

Xiao felt like she could burst with joy or cry with rage towards her own useless husband, he should be here with her, but he's not and Ning is and that made her both so happy and angry. Did this mean Ning felt the same way about her as she did about him?

"I'm okay, a bit scared, but I'm okay" she replied, she sighed, there was truth to what she was saying, she was scared, there forces were out numbed and she had a big Task to do and she did not want to fail anyone.

"Xiao, don't be scared, I'm not going to let anything happen to you while I'm here, I promise you" he said seriously, a expression that was alien on his face, she looked at him it was such a different look from his normal light hearted smile, or his smug smile that Xiao admired.

Xiao bit her lip, he meant far more to her than any other person she had ever known, he made her laugh, treated her like she was the most important person in the world, spend time with her and most of all he was here with her the night before a trying battle.

"Ning I-" Xiao went to speak but was cut off by Ning's lips on hers, at first she was shocked and didn't know what to do, but after a second she could feel butterflies in her stomach going crazy. She knew what that meant, she kissed back.

Ning sat properly on her bed; he lifted up the dress on her legs so that he could rub her thigh. Xiao knelt up so that she could reach his lips wrapping her arms around his neck; pressing her body against his she could feel his arms around her. For once she felt like somebody cared and that she wasn't wasting her time. Ning's kisses weren't at all like she had imagined them to be; they were far softer and didn't taste of tobacco. He massaged her tongue with his. He leaned back on top off her and let her feel the power of his manhood.

Xiao let out slight moans, it felt far different from anything that Zhou yu would have done, she was shocked at the fact that Gan ning was a lot softer that she had ever imagined during her lonely nights, he held her wrist with his strong hands and kissed her neck. They knew what they were doing so far past the term wrong. He was a pirate and she was a married daughter of a duke, not to mention that her husband was Zhou yu the greatest young mind in china.

Gan ning could feel

- **A trying fight**-

Ning woke Xiao up early at dawn the next day, he was already in his battle clothes his two blades by his side. She looked at him, she never seen him in armour


	6. The morning after

A/N: I just wanted to take this time to thank everyone who reads and comments, you're all so nice with not a bad word to say... I hope the story is well written... oh and it is my first story and I know it's a totally random pairing, but I do have a thing for putting the smexy bad boy with the innocent beauty... once again thank you, so nice and supportive, and i will keep updating...you guys are great... onto the story.. :) hehe x

Ning woke Xiao up early at dawn the next day; he was already in his battle clothes his two knives by his side. She looked at him, she never seen him in armour. His amour was plain with not a lot of detail, looking at it she could tell that it had not been crafted by a master. He was covered in tattoos but he wore his art proudly, his arms were large, each muscle looked as though it had been worked on rigorously, he could have been carved out of marble. Looking at him like this in the light excited her; she had been with him in the darkness but in the pitch black she could barely see anything.

He slid on gauntlets; she assumed that this was so he didn't cut himself when wielding his two decorated knives. He looked so arrogant even then. Xiao had learned that, even without meaning too, he would carry a very sardonic and cocky expression, but she also found it was one of the reasons that she had become attracted to him in the first place. She had always found it amusing that he was totally unaware most of the time. Without realizing she let out a small giggle.

Ning, who had been looking at the gauntlets on his wrists, looked at her with an arched eyebrow. It was only then she realized she had laughed. Her eyes widened slightly form embarrassment; she was praying that he didn't think that she was laughing at him.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked. Xiao relaxed when she heard his tone. It wasn't a accusing, harsh tone, but more like a confused tone, as if she had asked him a completely random question.

"Nothing, I was just thinking to myself is all" she said with a soft smile.

"whatever, anyway stop gawking and get ready what will your husband think if he walked in right now and your lying naked in bed and I'm getting dressed?" he asked in less of a questioning tone and in more off a that would not be good way.

Xiao sighed; she had forgotten that she was married. She hadn't realised how much she hated to hear "your husband" until the man she had strong feelings for had brought it up. "Well knowing him, he probably would figure it out stepping not even two feet into the tent" she said in deflated way, she turned to her left and pulled off the red and white outfit laid out on there.

She stood up her sheet covering her naked body, Ning tried not to look, he didn't want her to see the pervert pirate part of him, even though it was a strong character trait of his. She slid it on without any problems or even a hint of embarrassment; she turned round and smiled at him.

"Let's not talk about him, okay?" she said in a sweet childlike way. Ning had fallen for her solely on her looks at first, he could remember the first day he had met her, she had then spent the night occupying his thoughts. Yes, it was true she was truly a beauty, but after speaking a few mere sentences with her he could see she was so much more. That's when he knew he had to have her.

"Yeah, coarse" he said with a cheeky smile. He knew that the fact she didn't want to talk about her husband meant that she would rather spend time in his company than just simply speaking his name out loud. Too Ning this felt like he had won some competition for her heart that Zhou yu didn't know that they were having.

The pair stood at looked at each other for a second. Xiao walked closer to him, she placed a small porcelain coloured hand on his face. She bit her lip and sighed.

"Come back alive okay?" she said with wide eyes and a slight nod of her head. His eyes caught hers, as a smile crept up onto his face. He had won, Zhou Yu may have her hand but he had her heart and that's what mattered.

" I will Xiao, that cao cao aint' got no one among his ranks who can challenge me, I bet there aint a guy among are ranks who could take me on and live" he said pointing at himself with his thumb, he had his head tilted to the side in his usual cocky and arrogant way. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him, she was so close to it when her tent flap flew open.

"Got it" she said pressing her thumb and index finger together tightly. She looked at it like she had actually been trying to get something of his face. She turned to the opening of the tent and smiled, so did Ning. He wasn't sure what exactly was going on.

"oh My lord, Good morning" she said with a slight bow, she walked to where he was. She was about to walk out when he stopped her; his cold eyes glared into hers. Xiao felt a slight panic take hold of her. How could she have been so stupid? Of course he knew, he wasn't stupid. She looked him in the face trying not to show any signs of panic; her heart beating so fast in her quickly retracting chest.

Too her surprise, he leant in and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was one of passion and love, he had only ever kissed her like that once before and that was their wedding day, instantly she felt like the worst person on the face of the earth. She could tell from his soft hand on her face that he meant the kiss and that is was not just one too show Ning that he had Xiao and not him.

"NING!" she thought to herself, she had forgotten he was still in the tent, she felt bad for him too, he had to watch them kissing, after he had just spent the night in her desired company. She could only imagine the hateful and angry thoughts rushing through his head. She spied out the corner of her eye to try to catch a look at his face. She was shocked to see that his face was emotionless and very flat. She began to wonder. What if she was just giving ning feelings for her? And the truth was that he didn't really have any and she was just another notch on his bed post. The thoughts made her angry.

"Come Xiao, we leave soon and i want to make sure you are by my side when we do" Zhou yu said in his normally calm tone, laying a hand on the small of her back and leading her out the tent, were she was greeted by the sun and a cool morning breeze.

Clip:

The battle raged on, Xiao had found herself surrounded by the enemy in a strong hold, she was tired and blood covered, the enemy were breaking in. The roar from behind the gates unnerved her, as she watched the doors smash open. The enemy general stirred her in the face, she couldn't believe her misfortune. How did he end up being her opponent? ...


	7. The battle against the spoiled prince

A/N: I wrote this chapter immediately after finish six, as a thank you for being great, this is the fight chapter... I hope I did well in writing six... onto the battle...

The battle raged on, Xiao had found herself surrounded by the enemy; in her own strong hold, she was tired and covered with blood which she could not claim as her's, the enemy were breaking in. The roar from behind the gates unnerved her, as she watched the doors smash open. The enemy general stirred her in the face, she couldn't believe her misfortune. How did he end up being her opponent? His cold dead eyes reminded her of her husband's when he got really angry.

His long dark hair flittered in the wind. He looked well rested, almost as though he had just stepped foot on the battle field, opposed to herself whose face was covered with dried blood, mud and cold sweat. His eyes lay upon her and he glared at her as though they were long time enemies.

"Xiao Qiao? What insult is this? The Great Wu sends a little girl to face me? Me the crown prince of Wei! I knew they were smug but this is ridiculous!" he said folding his arms as though he had been told no for the first time in his life. Xiao couldn't believe her eyes, he was standing in the middle of a battle field, chaos and slaughter all around him and he stood arms folded.

"Who are you calling little girl! I might be wrong here but aren't you the one throwing a hissy fit?" she retorted holding her fans so tight that her hands and knuckles were turning white. Her hair that had once stuck to her head with sweat finally escaped and was now blowing freely in the wind.

His eye grew colder than they already were; he didn't take too kindly to being spoken to in that manner. He raised his sword and without even looking in their direction, sliced down two of her troops. She swallowed heavily, she had only heard of his sword skills, and even rumours were enough to make her fear him; seeing them up close in action made her feel as though this was truly a bad mistake and possibly a punishment from the gods for being unfaithful to Zhou yu.

Ning's knifes cut through the adversary as easy as sharp scissors through wet paper, his fast blade swipes and strong kicks made her virtually impossible to touch. He was easily impressing anyone who watched him. The droplets of deep crimson red that spilled so easily for the rivals body's spilt on him, on the grass, and on any poor man who happened to be in its crossfire. The field had begun to look like the very sky it's self had bleed.

Adrenaline pumped widely through his veins as the loud clashing of pike on swords and arrow on shield forced him to go into a violent trace, he had practically became unstoppable, his knife sliced flesh and sometimes he sliced so deep he could hear them scrape bone. He had never felt so alive. No man on the field could kill him.

When he had finally fought his way through the first wave of men, he stopped and took a deep breath. H e had fought so hard that he didn't even realize how many men he had actually killed, he turned to face the utter destruction that he alone had left, the once green grass that had been moist with the early morning dew, was now soaked with the blood of a thousand men, that was if you could see a blade of grass.

The area in which he had been fighting hand become less of a open field and more of a graveyard for the fallen; there were so many corpses strewn around that grass was a rare sight. As his eyes skimmed the field he felt no remorse or guilt for what he had done, only a strong sense of pride and an itch to continue to give more men over to the earth. From behind him he heard a loud and deafening roar; turning he could see more of the opposing side rushing towards him weapons blazing, they had all come to face the man who had killed so many of their comrades, Each and every one of them had burning hate in their eyes. A smile crept upon his lips as he launched into the air his knife above his head.

Xiao let out a loud screech as she hit the floor; her cry was so high pitch that it would have curdled even the toughest of men's blood. She had hit the floor with enough force that she had bounced up and slammed it again, her fans escaped her grasp. For a slight second she had lost consciousness and could only see black, once she had remembered were she was she looked up to face her opponent. Her already big emerald eyes grew larger. Cao pi raised his sword as if he was going to deliver the finishing blow to her. She had to act fast, the fight had made her realize how fast he was, the sword was dropping at a fast pace. Without thinking about it she rolled out the way; Cao Pi's sword ricocheted off the ground.

His head immediately turned to the direction were she sat panting, She could see him coming towards her, his jian in hand. Her heart beat fast inside her chest that she began to wonder if her heart would implode and kill her or if she would die by his sword.

"What am I thinking? I'm refusing to die here!" she said to herself as she quickly shook those thoughts away. She hadn't much time to think now, she was disarmed, tired and her enemy was coming at her fast. She franticly scanned the surrounding area for her fans, but to no avail, they where no were to be seen. She found herself left with only one option; disarm him and fight hand to hand combat, or at least last until reinforcements arrived to help her.

Cao pi flew at her sword in the air, he was only inches away. In a panic she did a back flip to get herself to her feet, landing only centimetres away from where the blade had connected with the ground. She smiled to herself; she had always moaned to her father that the rigorous gymnastics training would never help her in a battle. She wished she could thank him. The sword flew at her again. This time a small hop to the left was what saved her from being cut in two. If she could only keep this up until someone came to her aid she would make it out alive.

Ning panted he wasn't tired or for that matter even close to it, but in all the excitement he had forgotten to breath. As his feet touched the floor so did the last body of the second wave of rival troops. He looked at the field, he had felt proud before but now he was felt as though he had conquered the earth. The body count had more than doubled, nothing moved it was almost like the wind was frightened to blow, his skills were that great.

"My lord!" a voice called from behind him. He gripped onto his knives, he was sure it wasn't but he had to be careful, just in case he was being trapped, after displaying such skill he was obviously a threat to the enemy. He turned round his sword at the man's who had called him throat. The man in whom the voice belonged to looked startled. Ning examined his armour and once he was satisfied with the red armour he was wearing, he lowered it.

"My lord" the man said again this time taking a sigh a relief. "My lord not too far from here one of our allies has been trapped in one of our bases" he said looking at Ning.

Ning looked at him with an arched eyebrow, he scratched his chin and in his normal carefree folded his arms behind his head, in the same manner you would as if you were laying in the grass on a hot summer's day. "So? How is that my problem?" he said with a yawn.

The messenger couldn't believe his eyes and ear. Ning stood as though nothing was going on and as though he was back safely on his boat. The messenger cleared his throat and looked at Ning shocked.

"My lord, they are our allies" the messenger protested. Ning turned away; with his back to the man he spoke again. "And it's their own fault for not protecting the base properly if I help then how will he learn?" this time even more relaxed than before, the messenger became angry.

"My lord, she will die if she is she doesn't get aid soon, her opponents skill far surpass that of her own!" he protested one more time. This time he was shocked too get a reaction from him, especially considering he was not expecting one.

"SHE!" he shouted grabbing the messenger by his shoulders. "Tell me! Who is she!" he asked.

"Lady Xiao Qiao, she is trapped in a base only half a mile from here" the messenger replied as though he was in a daze.

"Why did you not ay this earlier? what direction?" Ning shouted shaking him. His eyes were wide and his face rife with concern. He was angry with the messenger for not telling him that it was Xiao that needed his help. The messenger raised a finger and pointed east. Almost instantly Ning dropped the messenger to the ground and took off running in that direction.

"Your extremely agile girl, I'll give you that" Cao pi laughed lifting his blade so that it was at his side. A creepy malice smile appeared on his lips. "But all your fancy acrobatics will tire you out long before I do" he said swinging his blade at her again, this time it made connection, slicing her arm open.

She cried out, blood splashed out spreading all over her sleeve, staining her battle attire. She held her arm as she fell to her knees. She moved her hand to get a proper look at her newly opened arm. The wound was deep, she wasn't sure if it was fatal but it hurt like hell. She looked up to face Cao pi just in time to see his blade drooping down on her. She closed her eyes and braced herself for death.

Instead of feeling the blade hit her she heard a loud clang of metal, her eyes opened immediately. She was overcome with relief when she seen who her rescuer was.

"Ning" she said in a voice so quietly that only she could hear it. Her eyelids felt heavy. She looked at her freshly done wound, at first glance she had seen it was deep but getting a better look at it, she could see how deep the wound actually was. She looked down her sleeve, the sleeve had once been white and now it was completely red and stained with her own blood. She looked down too her had, streaks of blood made it look as though she was wearing her veins on the outside of her hand.

She looked up groggily, the sound of a heart beat slammed against her ears, she watched the man in weapon lock, both fighting so hard not to lose, he vision began to flash between what was happening and blackness, she began too fear that maybe she was dying for a loss of blood and that maybe the beating in her ears was her own heart giving in. It wouldn't shock her; the slash in her arm was deep enough that she could see her white bone. When her vision came back in time to see Ning's foot slam hard enough into Cao pi's stomach to force him to the floor, causing him to lose the weapon lock. Her vision flashed again, the beating continued the whole time, getting louder and louder every time her vision would flash, her eyelids dropping. Her vision flashed back, she could see Ning raise his Knife above his head, and drop it down to where Cao pi sat on the floor winded and then her vision went totally black as she hit the floor. The beating in her ears stopped.

A/N: I no long chapter but if your reading this it means you got through it. I wrote this chapter ASA I had finished the other one and posted it the next night. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If there are any grammar mistakes it's because I started writing this at 1:30 in the morning and it's now 4:15. Oh and I had an idea, leave a question about me in the reviews and I will read it and put the answer on the bottom of the next chapter please review, i like reading what you have to say and plese tell me if i capturing the characters right x

P.S. Cao Pi is 18 years old, and the messenger well you can decide he isn't going to be a recurring character anyway...


	8. A rekindeled love and a broken heart

A/N: so so so so so sorry it took so long... alot of bad things happened to me this year and writting was the last thing on my mind, but i haven't given up on this story so here it goes , please forgive me :)

Xiao's eyes slowly opened, the blackness that had eaten the corner of eyes was replaced by the bright sun, that shone outside the tent. Her head felt as though it had be trampeled on by a stamped of affraid horses. At first it took her a small while to figure out exactly were she was, she strained her head to look left, she noticed a few injured men laying in beds next to her, there injures far worse than hers, she could tell from the pain on there faces that these men were not going to make thought made her so sad that she couldn't bare to look. By this she already knew were she was, but felt the need to look to her right hoping it was a more pleasent sight. she wished she hadn't. The sight to her right was far worse, In the bed next to her was a soilder who was missing his left arm, the man was dead or at the very least close to it or so she thought until he groaned and used his remaing arm to reach out up to the roof, the cut on the missing arm was so clean, that she could see right through to the cartalage and severed bone, the sight made her feel sick to her stomach. she rolled over onto her left as if she was going to throw up. That was a mistake. seeing the injury that the man had substained next to her had made her forget about her own injury, Trying to escape the grusome sight she had leaned on the arm that was injured, causing to jolt up in the bed, grasp her arm and her to cry out in pain. Her cries were heard .

A medic came rushing into the tent, Xiao didn't look up, she grasped her arm so tightly in a vain attempt to stop the pain. Finally she looked up, begging for him to help the pain go away with her eyes. The medic looked at her as if he were in a state of shock. His mouth hung open and his bottom lip trembeled, she didn't understand the expression. He was looking at her as if she shouldn't have been there. she let out another cry in pain. This time she called out for him to do something, The medic leaned in as if he were going to touch her and quickly retracted his hand, quickly he turned on his heels and ran out of the tent. Xiao couldn't believe it, he had left her there in serious pain. The pain in her arm shot straight up in to her shoulder, casuing her to cry out again. she felt as though something was moving underneath the hand that gripped onto the injured arm.

"stupid Medic!" she cried out, grasping her arm tigher. Holding onto the injured arm hurt her far worse but it was all she felt she could do to comfort herself, considering the medic was of no of no help to her.

Xiao felt alone and sceared, she had never felt a more heridious pain in her life, Shaking and fearing the worst she looked down onto the were the pain was coming from. She had expected to see a deep wound, The one she had sustained from the battle cao pi , maybe some blood but what she did see caused her to wretch. she could see a slight white gleem. Bone. There was alot more blood than she thought the human body could hold, dribbiling down her arm and onto the mattress she had been lying on. But what was worst of all was the maggorts that resided in there. she turned to the right of her bed and vomited over the edge, The sight was truly disgusting, she had always hated bugs and would screem if a spider was near her. But this, this was to much for her. She could see them squerming around inside her arm. She broke out in to a cold sweat, the beads on her forehead were so cold that she felt as though it was one last look at her arm before she passed out.

Xiao felt her eyelids lift themselvs, this time she wasn't met by the sun, but rather the plain brown eyes of someone she didn't know. He was dabbing her head with a wet cloth. There was a sort of dull light coming into the room were she and the strange man were, from this she knew it was day only the day was dull and the air smelt awful, like blood and earth. she looked over to her left expecting to see the soilders that had layed dead on the beds next to her, instead she sore no men only a large wooden box. although the men laying on her left were gone and seemed to have been replaced by a plain large wooden box, she feared looking to her right. after the maggort site she really did not want to have to look at the mans severed arm or listen to his prolonged groans of pain. but if the men to her to her left were gone as well as the beds they were lying on, she was only curious to know, slowly and uncertain she turned to her left. She was right he was gone, nothing was there just empty space.

"Ah lady Xiao Qiao, your awake i shall retrive your husband" The strange man said truning on his heels and exiting the tent, like the medic from before, only when he walked away did she realize that he was a medic also. she figured the usless Medic had left her to retrieve another medic to treat her.

she turned onto her left, forggeting about the pain she had only just felt, quickly she realised her mistake and waited for the horrid pain to comeback, Unbelievable to her , the pain did not return and she found herself laying quite comftably. Xiao was now confused, first the sickly dying men had disappeared and next the pain had vanished, not that she wasn't happy about this, but now she was dumb founded.

"The maggorts!" she called out jolting up and looking at the injured arm, she was suprised to find that her arm was not open to wear she could she bone, but neatly dressed in a nice white clean bandage. The girl looked at it for a second and began to pull on it.

Just as she did the Medic rentered the tent with her husband trailing behind him, he had a calm and serine look on his beautiful face as always. his lovely brown eyes looked to the floor then up at her, he walked over to the side of the bed wear she lay and held in a enbrace that she had never recived before. Feeling over wehlmed she wrapped her arms around his kneck and held him back. he sighed in relife and held her face in between his hands. he leaned in a gently pressed his lips to hers. Xiao once againe was taken by suprise, a feeling that seemed to be quite frequant today. she kissed back. It was rare he would kiss her like this, if he would kiss her at all, so she had to take every oppertunity he presented her with.

He held her face in front of his and looked deep into her emerald eyes. he smiled at her and kissed her once again, holding her tightly to him. Xiao hadn't felt this wanted and safe by him in a very long time and she kind of liked it. She felt the warmth and strength of his arms around her, she could her and feel his heart beat inside his chest. she felt relaxed.

"Xiao, My daring when the fever took you, I feared for the worst" he wisped to her, even though there was a medic in the room, she felt as though these words were only heard by her. Her heart leapt and a tear slid down her face. she looked him in the face a tear falling down.

"You love me?" she cried a hand over her mouth, so that he didn't she it tremble.

"Yes, more than anyone i know, Xiao my beloved do not cry i am hear now" he said in a almost silent whisper, he held he tight to his chest as if he was not going to ever let her go, and at the moment xiao didn't want him too.

"I love you, My darling Lord Zhou Yu" she cried cradiling herself in his arms so that she was snuggeled into his chest as close to him as she could get. the pair stayed in each ohers embrace, enjoying the loving hug they were sharing. But there was one person who didn't enjoy what he was seeing.

Ning who had been stood in the door way had cought the whole thing, he felt betrayed and hurt. The anger building up inside of him was immense. This was why he didn't allow himself to get attached to people. shaking his head he turned away, he couldn't bare the site any longer. his heart ached so much he felt as though it was on fire. her words echoed about in his ears like daggers. He hated Zhou yu, he hated him with the burning passion of 1000 fiery suns and alothough the pain was unbelieveable to him, he found he coudn't hate her, even though he wanted too, he coudn't hate the girl he had met all thoughs months ago on that pirate ship. He loved her.

A/N: Nice long chapter for you to make up for the ages i spent away, i'm going to try to stay ontop of this story cause i think it's getting goood and it's only going to get better ;) Leave a review please xx


	9. Conflicting feelings and secrets

A/N: I truly am sorry about making you all wait, it was a rough last couple of months but it seems to be okay now ;) x so as a i am greatful that you have stook with me this long here is another chapter. your probably thinking "two in one day" haha and your right too, so thanks for reading this far x here it goes x

It felt good to return home after the battle, all the remaining troops were in high spirits over the victory and had celebrated constantly since there return. There was much to celebrate for Xiao, even though she had been injured and had been out of the battle for the remainder of it, with a high fever, It had caused her marriage to strenghthen and she couldn't have been happier, at least thats what she told herself. The truth was she didn't feel the same as she did on that day in the tent, when she had told her husband that she loved him, maybe she was over whelmed by his confession or maybe she allowed herself to think that it was the ending scene from one of the stories that her elder sister would tell her when she was little, all she knew was that something had changed with in her and that it was confusing to say the least.

Xiao walked slowly down the hallway bitting her thumb nail as she did, she had somehow maneged to fall in to a rare state of deep thought over her feelings for her husband. she didn't think she hated him and certainly didn't feel any hosile feelings towards him, but did she truly love him the way she has said and acted? he had neglected her right up untill she did get injured and contracted a heavy fever but on the other had he said he feared the worst and he couldn't think of a word without her. but if he meant as he had said then why, only a mere 2 weeks later , was he acting like he had done before ? was he just as confused as she was? she had fallen so deep into thought that she hadn't even realised anybody else was in the same hallway as her, although she didn't see the people there hused voices was what pulled her out.

"Why? why did you say that to her? you know how i feel" she heard a voice cry from aroud the courner. she knew it was wrong to easedrop but now she was curious as to what the people around the couner were talking about. she bit her lip and stood with her back flat to the wall, she didn't want to be caught listening in because if she was she wouldn't be able to hear the rest.

"Please be quite, if anyone heres you they'll..."

Xiao leaned closer to the edge of the wall, the voices had became hushed and hard to hear. the voices sounded extremly familier. she had to lean in even closer to figure out who they belong too.

"What! Hmmm they'll what? find us out? well i don't care anymore i'm fed up with hiding because of your idiot..."

Xiao had leaned in to close, she hadn't noticed the vase that was placed on the courner of the wall. She had now though. without noticing she had knocked the vase over and it had hit the floor with a loud crash. she paniced, the people had to know that she, well, someone was listening in and would be heading to were she stood to see who it was. frightened of being caught she began to run in the direction she had been walking before she heard the hushed conversation, luckly for her the coridor was one of the smallest in the castel and she was pretty fast on her feet, rounding the courner she pressed her back to the edge like she had done before only this time her heart was racing and she was hiding from the person she had easedropped on. Normally she would laugh at the irony but right now she didn't want to give away her position. slowly she peeked around the courner only to see an empty hallway. she let out a sigh of relife and bent down to catch her breath she was in the safe zone now. but the fact of who the voices belonged to bugged her, she knew them well, really well but she couldn't fit them to a face.

"What, are you doing ?" someone said from above her, casuing her to jump. she looked up praying that this was not one of the people who were just in conversation. she was supriesed with how relieved she actually was to see that it was Ning and his vioce was far to rough to fit the voices she had just heard.

"You don't know how relieved i am to see it's only you" she said climbing up to her feet and dusting herself off, there really wasn't a need too but for some reason she felt it appropriate at that time.

he looked to the floor his large ams folded over his chest, he sighed and shook his head looking at her he began to open his mouth but stopped as if he decided against it.

"only me" he said sounding extremly annoyed by what she had just said to him. The truth was he was far beyond annoyed, he was hurt and she was the last person he had wanted to see but as fate would have it she was the first person he would see.

"Yeah, i was just easedrop...never mind, anyway i never got to thank you " she began to say to him, she always had butterflys in her stomach when she was around him and she always felt increasingly nervous but at the same time warm and safe. she felt as though she could rely on him and tell him almost everything. he made her feel cofortable and happy.

"For what?" he asked blandly, rubbing his chin and then the back of his kneck, he leaned on the wall and looked at her as if he was trying to hurry her along so that he didn't have too look at her. To be honest he was, he didn't want too look at her right now despite how beautiful she looked today.

"saving me, at the battle, I wouldn't be here without you" she said smilling and biting her bottom lip in a very innocent and Xiao like way.

"no you wouldn't" he said plainly, his expression was unreadable, but even Xiao could she something was up with him and she wanted to find out, after all she cared deeply for him and didn't like seeing him this way.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. her eyes were full of compassion and caring, he hadn't had anyone look at him this way since his mother did, like Xiao's his mother also had bright eyes and was always looking at him like this, when she was alive that was. the thought of xiao looking at him with the same eyes his mother did made him angry, if he hadn't have heard her love confession to "THAT" man then he would have taken her in his arms and held her close to him, but he couldn't not right now he was still hurting and the scar her words had made was still pretty deep and fresh.

"Don't look at me like that Xiao! i can't stand it" he said as if he was disgusted with her.

"Ning I... I wanna..." she said slighty taken back by his emotional reaction, she had known him for a while now and he had never showed any signs emotion really other than sarcasticness and a short fuse with a few people.

"You what? exactly, nothing" he snapped, he looked at her and sighed "Listen i have no time for idol conversation with you" he finished as he turned to walk away.

"oh, i'm sorry i see your busy so i'll..."

"No Xiao, i'm not busy, i have nothing to do i just don't want to talk to you, so go and tell the husband you hate so much that you love him and let him hold you cause i sure as hell don't want to hear it" he sanpped causing Xiao to cover her mouth with both her hands. he had heard and seen , she felt terrible she had never ever inteneded for him to hear or see what had gone on between her and Zhou yu, after all Ning meant the world to her and was there for her when she felt lonley and neglected.

A/N: oooooooooh confronted! told you it would get better (the story that is). okay so in this chapter i decided it was time to unvail a little tinsy bit of Nings past...more on that to come. leave a review with you personal thoughts and opinoins on whats going on, does Xiao deserve Gan Ning? let me know ;) much appreciated xxxxxxxxxxxx


	10. Love is a complicated thing

A/N: I got the writting bug :D which means another chapter today ;) woo i am feeling jazzed, i just listened to mr brightside like 12 times and i'm in a boss mood, so lets make this a good one ;) xx

"You saw that?" she asked her holding her hands to her mouth, he could bearly hear her but he was not stupid he could guess what she had said.

he knodded, his eyes were heavy on her, almost like a wieght on her shoulders. Then it occured to her, That was 2 weeks ago. she felt terrible, he had been harbouring this pain and hate for 2 whole weeks now, without a single give, that this was how he truly felt. She wanted so badly to hold him in her arms and apoligise to him, but he would push her away right now and she realy did not want that, it would crush her if she thought that he hated her but she had to know and that meant asking him despite what his awnser might be.

"Xiao, is that all you can say to me!" he asked his voice slightly raised, even though Xiao could tell he was trying not too.

"What you saw and heard, I havent figured it out for myself yet, but I, I didn't mean what I said to him, it might have been me getting carried away or maybe even me just calming him, but I know that I didn't mean that because I would still feel the same now right? and I don't" she said removing her hand so that he could hear her quite clearly.

"Why should I believe that? I saw you lip locked and then holding him like if he let go you'd flaot away" he spat, more of his anger and emotion coming out, he hadn't intended to get so mad because after all Zhou Yu was her husband and he was only a friend or possibly lover, right now he wasn't sure that he wanted to be either.

"I was surprised , I thought he hated me because he barly pays any attention to me" she cried.

"You told me YOU loved me and that you felt trapped and hated the marriage! so why would you tell him you loved him !" he shouted back "YOU had me to your bed Xiao! The night before the battle! YOuU and I!" he said sounding frustrated and drained. Xiao knew he would be emotionally drained after carrying this round with him for 2 weeks, but she had to say her piece.

"And I do not regret that" she said looking him in his brown eyes, they looked tired but at the same time hurt and furious, right now he showed more emotion than she had ever seen out of him.

"Then why!" he called back at her, finally asking the question he had longed too.

"I thought I was going to die Ning okay, I woke up in the medic tent believing that there was maggorts im my arm eating away at my bones, It was only after Zhou yu walked in and hugged and kissed ME telling me he loved me that he then told me i had a fever and what i saw was only a nightmare! I was so relieved I would have said anything" she shouted her voice raised also, she didn't wan't to shout at him but he wasn't going to listen to her any otherway.

"do you love me Xiao?" he asked slowly finally dropping his voice. he staired at her, he wasn't playing this time he was serious and it was so forigne to him, that she felt disappointed in herself for making him this way.

"Yes, I do love you, I meant what i said to you Ning, so please don't hate me" she cried tears falling from her eye's.

"Then meet me tonight, in my room i'm in the west wing you'll know its my door when you see it " he said turning on his heels and leaving her. For a second Xiao stood alone

"the west wing?" she thought to herself "Only Wu generals are allowed to stay there" she said in barly a wisper, then it hit her. He was staying in wu, the second she realised it a smile crept up on her face as she bit her bottom lip, she was happy to think he was staying, she hadn't given thought to him leaving with the rest of the pirates but she still felt as good as she would have even if she thought he was leaving and he told her he wasn't.

"Who are you talking too?" Xiao's eldest sister had appeared aorund the courner, Xiao feared how long she had been there and what she could have heared. Da was a good sister to Xiao but she was very tradtional and believed that both Xiao and herself should dote upon there husbands as there mother did for there father.

"Myself" Xiao said quicky she wasn't lieing she had indeed been talking to herself.

"Oh" Da said with a slight smile looking off to the side, "I thought it might have been Lord Zhou Yu, My Lord Sun Ce Is looking for him and asked me to tell him, if i see him of coarse, that My Lord wants to speak to him over something, It's odd though no one has seen him today" Da said almost as though it was to herself. Xiao smiled slightly, her sister was too intelligent for her own good sometimes. she looked back to xiao like she had only just remembered she was there.

"Have you seen My Lore Zhou Yu today Xiao?" she finally asked her, Xiao had been waiting for her to ask, Da a habit of trying to figure things out for herself before she asked anyone.

"No Sis i haven't, he's probably in the libreary with Lu xun or at his desk working on something" Xiao awnsed, trying not to come across as though she realy didn't care, when she didn't, he was always disappering to worl in silence so she wasn't worried.

"Oh Yes he may be working with LORD lu xun" Da said as though she was trying to point out Xiao's informal way of addressing Lu Xun, Xiao didn't care much though. she didn't seem to get on with him, he was too quick to point out her mistakes and even quicker to correct them, he believed that she doesn't act like a proper lady of the Zhou family should and was constantly giving her etiquate lessons. so naturally she didn't care to much for him, another reason she refused to call him Lord was because he was only a few months older than she was and she higher up the soical chain than he was.

Later that night Xiao was finally able to slip away from her doteing maids, she had to go and find Gan Nings room, she already feared he may hate her and she didn't want to give him a valid reason too. grabbing the candle that she kept on her bedside table she headed out the door, it wasn't hard for her to sneek away considering Zhou yu wasn't in there apartment so she didn't have too use her finally crafted excuse to get away.

Quickly but queitly she made her way down the dark and cold corridor, in the night very few candels were lit, so the hallway was rather dark and glumy ."note to self" she thought "make Sun Ce light more candles because this is a step above creepy". she walked past many doors trying to guess which one was his, she had started to eliminate doors by knowing who's doors were already owned. she knew almost all the door's but walking into the wrong one could be risky. There were two doors left at the end of the hall so it was a 50% chance she would get it right and a 50% chance she would walk into someone who she didn't know's room and look like a total idiot.

"I told you, if anyone finds out about us we'll both be shamed" she heared from around the courner. she had learn't her lesson about easedropping but she reconised the voice as the same one from earlier and she was curious to know what they had been talking about . she leaned over cheacking for anything that she could knock over and be caught by but she was clear, pressing her back aginst the wall she listened carefully.

"I know but i am beyond the point of caring my love" the same voice who was scolding the other said in a sigh.

"I understand, I do but this has to be between us, just us" the first voice said again, this voice seemed to be the voice of reason, calm and collected. suddenly out of know were xiao rembered who the voice belonged too. looking around the courner she was right. It was her husbands but it was the other person he was talking too who shocked her. she stood in shock, her mouth open. Her husband was lip locked with another man and not just any man but the man she detested. Lu Xun.

she felt a hand cover her mouth and pull her into a room closing the door behind them. the person let go of her mouth. She would have screamed only it was her beloved Ning and he had his back flat to the door looking at her, he had seen to and he was just as shocked as she was. Xiao covered her mouth with her hand and they stared at each other in silence.

A/N: i hope you liked it, ZHOU YU FANS do not kill me please I had a good reason, i hope it shocked you I was always going to do this but i didn't want to use Sun Ce cause then Da would be screwed too and that wouldn't realy have any purpose to the story and any way it's been done so i tried something different. If you like lu xun don't flip cause i do actually like the character he is in my top 5 favorite characters... so what are Ning and Xiao going to do with this valubal piece of infomation? find out in the next chapter - Finally free x


	11. Side story: Is he prettier than me?

A/N: writting bug XD

The pair stood open mouthed and shocked, Xiao went to speak but the shut her mouth as if she had totally decided aginst it, but what could she say, "i'm not suprised" that would be lying because she was suprised, very suprised. one thing she could say was that she wasn't hurt or betrayed by what she had seen, which complexed her more than her husband Zhou Yu sneeking around with his student and successor. but in away she was relieved, Zhou yu hadn't been ignoring her because there was somthing wrong with her but because he was in love, the only thing wrong with her in Zhou Yu's eyes was the fact she was a girl.

"I can't believe it" Xiao said almost dazed, she arched her eyebrows, looking at the floor and shook her head and sat on Nings matress, she placed her hands on her lap.

"I know, two guys erk... gross" he said looking at the floor also , "It's gonna take alot to burn that image out my head" his face held an expression of total shock, he didn't even bother to hide the total disgust that was so clear. Xiao looked up at Ning, her eyes wide.

"I'm prettier than him right?" she asked, Ning looked at her with one eyebrow lowered, he looked at her as if she had told some joke and he didn't understand it. he shook it off and sat next to her on the bed, he let out a long sigh of air, dropping shoulders.

"What should we do now?" Xiao said looking at Nings face and biting her thumb nail in a nervous manner. he smiled at her.

"I have a few ideas" he said moving in to kiss her lips.

"good" she said standing up and moving into the middle of the room, with her back turned to him. he had fallen face first into the matress, he hadn't realised she had stood up and by the time he had it was too late too stop himself, he just fell striaght into it.

"you meant about that" he said not lifting his face up off the matress but pointing to the door. he tapped his reamining figers on the bed, he was glad she hadn't seen because he would have been embaressed. Xiao turned round to look at him, she lowered her eyebrows and thinned her lips.

"what are you doing?" she said slowly biting her thumb nail and staring at him. He lifted his face and sat back up, he looked at her face and shrugged.

"wanted to smell the matress" he said sarcasticly, with a forced smile, before he laid back on his bed with his arms streched out and his legs over the edge so his feet were flat to the floor. She didn't even care that her husband was kissing another guy, she only cared if she was prettier or not, he had to roll his eyes at how much of a dits she could be.

"hey wait, he called me an idiot ealier" xiao said opening her mouth as if she was shocked.

"whatever do you mean" Ning said, not bothering to sit up or even put emotion in his voice at all. Xiao didn't pick up on it, she was too busy thinking of all the nasty things she could do to get him back.

"it dosn't matter though" she said with an evil grin, "I know his secrect and it must make him feel bad knowing i'm married to it" she said with a snicker. Nings eyes flew open, he shook his head, she realy was an idiot and completely blind to his feelings, he sat up and sighed pulling her close to him so that he had his arms wrapped around her waist. he looked up at her and she looked doen at him placing both her hands flat on his broad shoulders.

"don't say that around me Xiao even if it is a joke, promise" he said looking into her large green eye's, even in the night time they glimmed brightly.

"I promise" she said, leaning in to kiss his lips, Ning didn't have just kissing in mind though, Xiao was a extremly beautiful 17 year old girl and he was a 19 year old pirate, he had alot in mind for her, but just for that night he'd settle for this exchange of affections as he had only just forgave her, he also didn't wan't it to seem like she was just another notch on his bed post, because she wasn't. She was special to him and he wanted her to know that.


	12. A Nightmare and a unbreakable promise

A/N: New chapter, Please review i like to read your comments and i like feed back :)

The room was silent with only the sound of a light wind hitting the window, Xiao had fallen asleep in his arms, holding her frail body to his, he pressed his lips to her forehead, causing her to snuggle closer into him. Even in sleep she was beautiful, her petal lips closed, her emerald eyes closed she was angelic. how stupid Zhou yu was for choosing a young boy over her, granted even Gan Ning could admit that Lu Xun was a good looking boy, handsome in his youth and powerful, a trait that most single young ladies would die for in a husband. But Ning wasn't that way and didn't think that way about boys or men, He loved women to much and there was never a single dout in his mind that he was male orientated. He hadn't thought that the "Handsome" Zhou yu was either, he always had women at his feet begging that he would glance there way. so it was only natural that he would marry, who Ning thought to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen with the exception of only her sister who even the was just as beautiful.

Looking at her once more he grinned at Zhou yu loss and his gain, closing his eyes he drifted off into a sleep.

Ning watched as a young him bounded up and down on small futon in a dark room, he remembered this, he had been told by his mother to go to sleep , but like most kids he didnt want to so he decided to bounce on his bed, his eyes filled. tomorrow he would be six and at that age he would begin learning about war and weapons and basic skills, so that when he turned 8 he could pass the test and begin training, this meant when he was 15 he could join the war and fight for his lord, but he would never get the chance to be a hero like he wanted to be, on this night his father would be killed and his mother taken away to serve a cryptic lord. only 10 years later he was to learn that his mother had been taken to a tyrant who went by the name of Dong Zhou, she was forced to serve as a concubine for the next 5 years but was then killed when she was "too old".she was 27 years old when she was killed. Ning had sworn to himself that he would personally kill this Dong zhou for retribution, but he never got his chance, when he was 17 years old the pirate ship he was on had docked at a small fishing town, for obvious reasons, the town was celebrating, tyrant was dead. slaughtered in his sleep by his own adopted son, rumors had said it was because another of Dong zhous concubines had seduced the man and asked him to kill him in which he had most obviously obliged.

being so young the details of that horrific night were hazy and blurred but the image of his fathers dead corpse was not, the man had be slit from his right ear all the way down to his right hip, this wound wasnt fatal. there was a dagger imbibed in the mans lower spine, this was the kill stab. His fathers face was twisted in to one of agony, blood covered the man. He watched as his younger self knelt next to him, tears in both of there eyes. it was a truly horrific sight one only made worse by time. what happened next was a blur, he could remembering wondering out the door looking for his mother. but he had been shocked and overwhelmed. falling to his knees he passed out, the next thing he could remember was he had woken up on a pirate ship and he had never questioned how he had got there only that he was away from the blood bath that his home had turned into

Ning shoot up in a cold sweat panting, it had been almost 14 years since that night and almost 5 since he'd dreamt of it. he placed his head in his hands , trying to catch his breath,. He felt a hand reach out and touch him, he jumped squeezing the hand tight causing Xiao to cry out. he looked at her wide eyed and dropped her hand almost instantly.

"I'm so sorry" he said wide eyed, he watched as the girl held her hand close to her body and examined it.

"I'm fi-fine, it you i'm worried about" she said in her sweet tone.

"Nothing, i'm fine go back to sleep" he said laying down, only this time he stayed awake and starred into the darkness of the room. 20 minuets passed befoere Xiao opened her mouth again.

"Please don't lie to me, I'm always being lied too" she said in a sad slow tone. she looked at her hands on her lap.

Ning felt angry and frustrated, but she wasn't to blame , she was concerned about him and that showed him she cares. but at the same time he didn't want to be prodded on it and he knew that by telling her now,tonight it would be in her head for some time and apart from that he wasn't one to spill out his feelings to anyone, not even her the girl he had fallen in love with. Sighing he rolled over and looked at the girl in the face, she starred back. placing a hand on her face he opened his mouth.

"Xiao, I will not lie to you ever okay?" he said waiting for her to nod, confirming that she was listening "but tonight i cant tell you, I will tell you another time but not now" he finished

"okay" she smiled she hand been quite satisfied with that answer. he knew now that eventually he would have to do what he had never done before and tell someone about his past, but it gave him some comfort knowing if it was going to be anybody it would be her. but for now he had avoided it.

He sat up to kiss her on the lips and as soon as he did he regretted it, he hadn't realized how horny he actually was and now that he had kissed her he had to go further, he slipped his tongue into her mouth messaging her tongue with his own. the hand he had placed on her thigh made it's way up he nightgown and on to her breast. she shivered a little, but began to run her slender fingers threw his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. gagging it was okay to continue he undid the front of his pants, climbing onto of her. he lifted of her nightgown and began to suck her right nipple while holding the other on tight. Xiao felt the pleasure run threw her body.

finishing with her breasts he looked down to the girls hairless womanhood, a first he kissed it causing her to giggle slightly, then he slipped his tongue up her, she let out a gasp of pleasure. she had never heard of this before. he continued to lick at her, her moans and gasps encouraging him more. with every small gasp she took the more turned on he became, as he became faster so did her breaths. she had began to bite her own finger to stop her from calling out, she would surly wake everyone up if she did.

"Ning, uh ah ha ha ha urgh Ni-Ni-N-Ning huh uh" she moaned in a sort of breathy whisper. he continued only getting faster every time she called his name. "oh god, Ning i'm i'm i'm huh urgh ha" she cried out in a higher pitch than before but still only a whisper. The nerves in her body were going crazy and she wriggled under the pleasure. she had never felt so good before. her excitement and joy were flowing threw her like air.

"I'M I'M YES YES YES NING ummmmmmmmmmmmm..." she moaned as she reached her orgasm, she panted trying to catch her breath, she felt herself cum, but by that time Ning had already removed his tongue. he mounted her, she was still having orgasmic shivers. but even so she wrapped her legs around his hips anyway allowing him access to her. Ning had learned form past sexual expirences with the girl that she was a multiple orgasm-er and could reach up to 3 a night, this meant he wasn't done with her.

"What was that ?" she panted still trying to catch her breath. he simply smiled at her and began to thrust, she moaned again, this meant her body was also ready and he began to go at her hard.

"mmmmmm...Ning" she whisper as he carried on the deed, the sensation in side him was burning, he had had sex before with a variety of different woman, but he had never felt so good about it, there was something about her innocent face when he was hard at her that turned him on, she was the only person that could make him feel that way. Sex with her was different, for the both of them. Zhou yu tended to be slow and more affectionate kissing her neck, collar bone and cheek, were as Ning was rough and showed her different ways to cause pleasure. Nings sex was far more exciting and when he was done she felt sexually satisfied as did he. also whenever they would have sex in the night they would often wake up and go again. Ning let of his load and flopped on the bed next to her both panting, Xiao lay on his chest and without another word the pair fell asleep.

A/N: okay lot of detailed sexy time, but i didnt want it to come across as rough sex but more of a build up of there relationship type thing :) anyway sex talk over now you have a vague view on nings past, but as the story unfolds i go into more detail about why it happened , who else was involved and what Xiao is going to do with the Lu Xuns secret ;) don't miss out xxx


	13. same view

A/N: I'm back. I apologize for the long wait but this was a story I started writing when I was sixteen and it was my first story I'd published. So skipping through the Archive on this site I found it again and thought for those who have read and waited I shall finish it. So here it goes...

Morning training seemed like a good idea after he'd eaten but had quickly turned into some kind of hell, Being a new general meant that every man with a sword wanted to prove their skills against the Ex-pirate. The constant onslaught had made his muscles ache liked they'd been set alight and dragged through rigid gravel. Man after man charged at him as though he was some kind of danger to the air they breathed, Each a little bit more viscous and frantic than the last and with the sun on his back blazing his skin: Ning had began to wonder when was enough. Pulling kiddie punches like he was -was beginning to exhaust him fast and yet the more they came the more he felt the need to fight. Ning thrived off of a good hard fight even if he wasn't spilling any blood the idea that he'd leave a nice blue bruise was enough for him.

During the previous battle Ning hadn't had the chance to take a good long look at the troops that Wu commanded and now that he had he was able to come up with a summary of his Allies' skills. First off: Young. Not a single man who had faced him had been older than mid twenties, perhaps this was because the veterans felt no need to prove their skills against a much younger man or maybe the reason was that the men were deemed too old after thirty to keep up with younger foe, Making a mental note to ask Ling Tong later. Second: Fierce. Each man who had been knocked down had come right back at him again with a more ferocious attack. This can be a good and a bad thing, the persistency means that there will always be allies to fight with but it also means that they have a tendency to get angry and an angry man means a careless man. And third: Brave. Ning was obviously the more skilled out of the bunch that were training yet that came at him anyway, during a battle quantity will always out shine quality meaning a more skilled warrior can lose to ten warriors even if each of the opposers only has a third of the skill. In point he was fairly pleased with the army he'd be fighting with obviously not the most skilled bunch but they have heart and loyalty.

The sun had risen to high point when Ning had his fill of fighting, Taking a seat on the grass he pointed his face up towards the sun and ran a cool rag across his face. Life had gotten so much more comfortable and easy since the days of piracy. No longer did his diet consist of dried stale bread and musky water but of meats and Jiu, he hadn't really gotten a taste for tea he found it to be for someone with a more mature pallette but jiu he liked. His clothes were never dirty and always fresh unlike back when, sometimes having to wear a single shirt for up to a month. Boots he wore now are made from soft leathers that mold around the feet for top comfort and have hard souls that make any terrain far more accessible. Even his personal hygiene had improved dramatically, it was never as though he had smelt terrible but baths help improve health, and he had been feeling more energetic. Stretching out on the grass he took a breath in, even the air was much sweeter and cleaner unlike the ship with its stagnant odor and thick air that hung heavy inside the chest. As nice as all this was the fact still was that Ning had only truly stayed for the promise of war.

Born into a poor smithing family, From what he can remember, Swords and weaponry had been introduced to him at a young age, Although he was never allowed to touch them. If the slaughter of his family hadn't occurred on the eve of his sixth birthday Ning's parents would have paid his way in a training programme which would have ensured his life as a warrior for a lord who would have bought his services. Then how different would life have been? He would have trained alongside other boys, ate well enough to ensure top physical peek and then have earned an honest living as a soldier maybe eventually getting married, retiring as a veteran on land gifted to him by the crown for his years of service and giving his parents grandkids. Thinking on it there aren't too many differences between that picturesque fantasy and his life now.

Maybe he never made it to an official training ground but either way he learned to fight, Granted a pirates training programme is more of the "give em' sword and see if they survive" kind of way but he had learned so many dirty tricks to win a fight along the way that he had become pretty infamous for winning. And yes up until now it had been a constant fight - having to be ready to kill the man who sleeps on the bunk above you at any moment but is far tougher for it. Theft and pillaging isn't exactly an honest living and any money made is blood money, but as they say money erned is money erned. The paths taken may have been different but either way the result his the same. Ning is a warrior working under a lord only a higher ranking one and he is earning a honest living, splitting hairs the money is still blood money on the basis of he is still being payed to kill only this time its accepted. and then there is Xiao.

Beautiful Xiao. The chances of ever marrying her are zero due to the fact that she is already married and chances of her having his sons are lower. Even if she was to fall pregnant with a child of his they would never truly be his. It would be an obvious truth that they are his but even so he wouldn't ever be recognised as the father. Even if the information about Zhou Yu's mid night rendezvous were to find there way to the surface Xiao would become a vail shielding the fact from the rest of the land. She may never hold the title of his wife but she still has his heart and he has hers.

Smiling he covered his eyes to block the sun. "That's still a damn sight more than hes got" he thought to himself as he lay sleepily in the grass.

A/N: looking over the chapters I realized my character development needing well... Developing and a lot of the last chapters focused on Xiao. Sorry it took so long but I'm back now so please read and review x


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